Ruthless drug dealers are threatening to rape and shoot users to force their terrified mums to pay their debts.

The worrying revelation was made today at a seminar called by South Dublin's Joint Policing Committee on drug intimidation in South Dublin communities.

More than a third of drug-related violence and intimidation has been targeted at the mothers of drug debtors in Dublin.

While the majority of the threats are targeted at the drug users themselves, mothers have become the next port of call as they are also more likely to pay the debt.

The National Family Support Network, which offers support to families experiencing these acts of intimidation, has helped more than 600 families coping with threats.

Catherine Darling, an outreach worker for the organisation in the Kibarrack area, told Dublin Live that she is not happy about the fact that there is no way for families to report acts of drug intimidation anonymously to Gardai.

She revealed: "That's one thing that the families are absolutely terrified of - that they will report something to the gardai that they could come back and just as easily intimidate again or harm their siblings, parents and grandparents.

"What happens if a family can't pay a debt of say €1,000? They'll keep coming back demanding more and more each week and they feel helpless.

"Like, one of our mothers was told that they [drug dealers] are going to shoot her and rape her daughter."

"Another family last week had a petrol bomb put through their front door with their 17-year-old girl inside the house."

The teenage girl was not harmed but the family are terrified, Ms Darling revealed.

She added: "We've reported all this to ministers and it's fallen on deaf ears."

The research was carried out by Citywide Drugs Crisis campaign and the Health Research Board involving 140 Dubliners affected by drug intimidation.

Mothers are also more likely to report incidences of violence, with nearly half of incidents reported coming from terrified mums.

Anna Quigley, Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign Co-ordinator revealed: "The research shows that the mothers are really coming through as targets but also as people who are likely to report the violence."

She also showed that nearly half of incidents reported related to physical violence.

Ms Quigley added: "That's really significant and some of the reports of violence were pretty horrifying."

But Tony Howard, Super-Intendant at the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said it is unlikely that families will be able to report acts of intimation anonymously.

He explained: "In Ireland we have an accusatory justice system which means the accused must be allowed to know who their accuser is and what they're being accused of.

"Discussions on the new Drugs Strategy will have drug intimidation high on their agenda and we will be looking at ways of improving the safety of reporting these crimes."

If you are affected by Drug Intimidation the National family Support Network is here to help. Visit www.fsn.ie or call 01 898 0148.